S01.E14: The Search2015.05.09

Claire and Jenny head off to save Jamie from the redcoat captors and meet up with Murtagh, who joins them. The trio employ unusual tactics to get word to Jamie.

Reminder: This is for discussion of the TV show only. Any spoiler from outside the books (i.e. next week's preview) should be in spoiler tags. Please do not post or like here if you have read any of the books. Book Talk folks, there is another episode topic for you.

Share Post

Link to post

I'm really not interested in this show when it elides over what makes it unique. Because then it's just a soap.

I'm pretty sure Claire has no intention of marrying Dougal. I think she only said that to get Dougal to stop trying to persuade her and get to the rescuing. She knows Jamie would tell her to go back to Craig Na Dun.

Share Post

Link to post

Frank, the modern man who can control his inner wild man, isn't interesting to her. She dumped him and really hasn't looked back since the wedding, beyond one run toward the stones. Claire is feckless and stupid. Once again in this episode, she does things that put people and/or the mission at risk and her only repercussion is a slight talking to.

Boy, Jenny sure is a tough woman, isn't she? She can gallop on horseback just days after a long and difficult birth. She has miraculous healing powers in the crotch area, evidently. It reminded me of the movie Prometheus when a female character gave herself a C section, then got up and went running down a hallway. It was strange that Jenny could ride a horse after childbirth, but poor old Ian didn't have an old leg laying around the house as a back up. (Maybe the leg he using for mucking out the barn, versus his "Sunday go to meeting" leg. ;) ) A one legged man with skills would have a backup of some kind in case his wooden leg broke or was damaged. Jenny and Claire emasculated Ian, again one of the nice and reasonably civilized and thoughtful men, by leaving him home and Jenny going despite having just given birth. Civilized and thoughtful men don't do well in this show. I suspect that it was done to give Jenny and Claire some bonding time and to allow Claire a chance to drop those hints about growing and hoarding potatoes.

It was really nice seeing Murtaugh and the men from Castle Leoch. I really wish the main plot of this show was seeing the proud and (generally) noble highlanders trying to defend their culture and way of life in what we all know is a doomed attempt. That is a lot more interesting than the Claire and Jamie romance, actually it's more interesting than Claire, Jamie, or Randall entirely. What the heck was Dougal doing with a cave of stuff so far away from his home base? Claire said smuggling, but maybe it was caching goods for what they hope is the coming war to restore a Stuart to the throne. Do they have a network of places like this across the Highlands? Who is helping them? Man, that would be a great plot if the show would concentrate on that sort of thing. This episode spent way, way, way too much time on Claire singing and developing her act. They could have handled that in half the time.

2

Share Post

Link to post

Young Murtagh gave her a pair of bracelets fashioned from the boar's tusks -- the very bracelets Jenny told Claire about in the last episode! Then Murtagh says, very explicitly, that Jamie is his son, from which we may infer that he had sex with Jamie's mother, causing her to become impregnated with Jamie.

I disagree. Murtagh was in love with Jamie's mother (Dougal and Collum's sister), but she was in love with Jamie's (soon to be) father. Murtaugh tried to impress her and win her heart by killing a boar with his dagger (a very dangerous proposition from what we saw in an earlier episode). He impressed all the other men and his boss gave him the tusks. Jamie's mother wasn't moved though, and remained in love with Jamie's father. He had the tusks made into bracelets, which he then presented to Jamie's mother as a sign of love and as a wedding present for her. She, intelligently, didn't tell anyone who they were from as that might just have pissed off her new husband.

That's my read of it, anyway. I thought it was a really sweet story and did a good job of explaining Murtaugh's dedication to Jamie. He's taking care of his true love's son as if he were his own.

11

Share Post

Link to post

Share Post

Link to post

While I understand Claire telling Ian that if they rounded up a bunch of men to go find Jamie, the British could hold Lallybroch responsible, how would the British NOT hold Lallybroch responsible when the Laird's wife and sister are out hunting for him? And considering all the near rapes we've had on this show, wouldn't it be safer for Claire and Jenny to bring along at least one man from Lallybroch with them?

Just the thought of Jenny horseback riding so soon after giving birth made me hurt.

Murtagh is not Jamie's father. He said Jamie's "a son" to him. Not "he's my son." He loved Jamie's mother, yes, but never had relations with her.

I didn't think Murtaugh meant he was Jamie's father either. He loves Jamie because he loved his mother, sort of like a way less crankier Snape protecting Harry Potter.

Edited May 10, 2015 by ElectricBoogaloo.

2

Share Post

Link to post

I think this was the weakest of all the episodes so far, because they spent far too long on the Claire and Murtagh follies. It was good, but they should have spent approx half the time it did and used dialog or voiceover to indicate the passage of days, weeks, whatever.

I liked seeing Jenny's skills in play. Like Claire, she challenges gender roles--which we didn't really know before. I think she was in pain during the ride because it was so soon after giving birth, but she pushed it aside because of her love for Jamie. Have they said if Jenny is older or younger than Jamie? He's a foot taller than her, but that doesn't mean anything for adults. She seems to be very protective of him, so I'm guessing older, but I wasn't sure if they had specifically said anything. The actors are the same age.

I could have done without seens Jenny releasing her milk. I get why it was necessary for her to do, but I didn't feel the need to see it. However, I was wondering how they did that--CGI milk, a prosthetic? I did think it odd that she would just throw it away, rather than drinking it. She doesn't seem to be the type to waste things. But I guess I didn't want to see her drink it either.

I liked the discussion on torture and killing of the courier. It's an interesting ethical dilemma for Claire. As much as I like Murtagh's arrival, I would have prefered for Claire to have to make a choice. Murtagh's actions relieved Claire of the responsibility of deciding whether to risk Jamie and let the courier live or kill an innocent man. Some of the song and dance time could have been better spent here.

I did like the song and dance concept. Murtagh's dancing was truly awful (or should I say offal) and Claire's singing a little indifferent, but I do like the fact that they saw it as a way to attract Jamie's attention. I wanted to leap through my TV and slap her when she gave her money to the gypsy--but I guess it worked out because the guy felt guilty enough about breaking his word to come find her and give her Dougal's message. I didn't see the big deal about the other troop stealing their song. Couldn't they have followed that group and seen who came to see them, rather than performing themselves?

I'm so glad Claire confirmed what I had been thinking--that Dougal deliberately lied to Jamie about his sister's pregnancy to put a wedge between them. And no, there's no way in hell that Claire would ever marry Dougal, but I like that she finally learned not to say what's she's thinking and be clever instead. I thought it was surprisingly tactless for him to go after her before Jamie is even dead. I mean, he's seen that Jamie and Claire are genuinely fond of each other and that she was insulted by his earlier advance on her wedding night. What's the harm in waiting a day or so more for Jamie to be hanged before hitting on her?

Another use of some of the time wasted on song and dance? Claire thinking about what she would do if Jamie did die? Go through the stones? Almost certainly. Go back to Frank? Maybe not, considering she had chosen another man over him. Could she ever face him again, let alone live as husband and wife?

l liked that Willie was the first step up and support Jamie.

0

Share Post

Link to post

Book posters, please do not post or like in the No Book Talk threads. Even if TV only watchers ask innocuous questions, please do not reply or like. It's tempting I know, but the show should standalone. Thank you.

2

Share Post

Link to post

Share Post

Link to post

I don't have a problem with the episode being slow. Because there's going to be a prison break. I am in. So. In. They needed to set that all up and they needed the cave scene. I'm glad it was pointed out, "Hey Claire, you're a woman and your husband died. You have no rights now." You sure you didn't want to try those stones again, Claire?

I laughed a lot over the adventures of Singing Claire Who Invented Jazz.

I always feel kind of bad during the opening credits when they show the shot of Frank driving the car. I hope they revisit the 1940s again.

2

Share Post

Link to post

I kept waiting for Gellis to step out of the shadows of the cave and greet Claire alongside Dougal! We didn't watch her die and the fact that he refused to talk about her is leading. But I take it if he had rescued her at the last minute, they'd probably be together, and he wouldn't be searching for another wife?. I'm eager to hear more of her story and how she plans to change history (I'd also love, love if she actually succeeded and forged an alternative history!)

I agree that Claire isn't actually planning to settle down as Dougal's wife, but will do anything to rescue Jaimie at this point.

Share Post

Link to post

Share Post

Link to post

This show is amazingly complex. At the same moment that I was taken out of the scene by Jenny pumping her breast milk (huh? does that really happen?) I admired her so much for going with Claire in the scouting---the writers are great at getting you to scream one way and feel another! Love it.

Share Post

Link to post

I kept waiting for Gellis to step out of the shadows of the cave and greet Claire alongside Dougal! We didn't watch her die and the fact that he refused to talk about her is leading.

I'm wondering about this, as well. One of the characters needs to say that Gellis was burned at the stake, otherwise she could still be sitting in that hole with the gate on top. Would they burn a pregnant woman or wait until the baby was born? She was yelling about Satan being the father so maybe the fate of the infant isn't a concern for the court and mob.

1

Share Post

Link to post

This show is amazingly complex. At the same moment that I was taken out of the scene by Jenny pumping her breast milk (huh? does that really happen?) I admired her so much for going with Claire in the scouting---the writers are great at getting you to scream one way and feel another! Love it.

Yes, that really happens. But while I know it was necessary for Jenny to do it, I don't think it was necessary to show her doing, and definitely not necessary to linger on it that long. I feel the same way about showing other bodily functions - yes we know they urinate and poop, but I don't want to watch it!

4

Share Post

Link to post

Yes, that really happens. But while I know it was necessary for Jenny to do it, I don't think it was necessary to show her doing, and definitely not necessary to linger on it that long. I feel the same way about showing other bodily functions - yes we know they urinate and poop, but I don't want to watch it!

I agree with you (although it's not exactly the same as pooping!). Think of all the trouble they went to creating the prosthetics and getting the pump to work. It really didn't add anything to the story to actually see the milk coming from her nipple.

Share Post

Link to post

People are really upset about the breast milk scene? I for one would have wondered what she was doing about her engorged breasts if it wasn't shown! I can't believe in this day and age people are still disgusted about breasts being used for their actual purpose. The Canadian audience is in a tizzy because that scene was edited out. I found it incredibly realistic (even if the milk stream wasn't) and was happy that it happened. We've actually seen people peeing as well. Black Jack fondling his penis in order to rape a character is fine, skin peeling off during a whipping scene is fine but a new mother relieving breast engorgement is a problem? Would it have been a problem if she was shown breastfeeding her baby? Do you get upset seeing mothers nurse their children in public? Breastfeeding is a fact of life and I'm saddened that there are still women who finds this disturbing.

9

Share Post

Link to post

People are really upset about the breast milk scene? I for one would have wondered what she was doing about her engorged breasts if it wasn't shown! I can't believe in this day and age people are still disgusted about breasts being used for their actual purpose. The Canadian audience is in a tizzy because that scene was edited out. I found it incredibly realistic (even if the milk stream wasn't) and was happy that it happened. We've actually seen people peeing as well. Black Jack fondling his penis in order to rape a character is fine, skin peeling off during a whipping scene is fine but a new mother relieving breast engorgement is a problem? Would it have been a problem if she was shown breastfeeding her baby? Do you get upset seeing mothers nurse their children in public? Breastfeeding is a fact of life and I'm saddened that there are still women who finds this disturbing.

I'm not sure who you think is upset about seeing her release her breast milk, but there is a difference between not caring to see something on TV and being upset about seeing what happens. The posters in this thread who have mentioned it haven't expressed any anger that is was shown--we're just stating a preference. I don't care for seeing bodily functions--and I could certainly have done without seeing blackjack's penis. I don't believe anyone has said the rape scenes are okay, but this is not. In fact, several have expressed a belief that those were unnecessarily graphic. And I'm sure many of us turned our heads during the flogging scenes too.

That being said, I do think it's plot-relevant to address the struggles Jenny faced going off on this trek so soon after her delivery. The fact that several people have mentioned it in comments means that if they didn't address it on screen, people would be skeptical about the episode. She could have made a reference to her bottom and her breasts being sore and the need to release some of her milk, without actually showing her doing so. The director made a choice to show it instead.

3

Share Post

Link to post

Maybe upset and disgust were too strong, however, if you didn't care to see it, then it bothered you. I find it sad that people are bothered by a breast shown expressing milk. This is why women are still asked to breastfeed their child in a toilet stall.

4

Share Post

Link to post

Maybe upset and disgust were too strong, however, if you didn't care to see it, then it bothered you. I find it sad that people are bothered by a breast shown expressing milk. This is why women are still asked to breastfeed their child in a toilet stall.

Please don't presume to know what does or does not bother me. I will acknowledge, however, that what I'm fine with in real life might be different from what I want to pay money to see on television.

1

Share Post

Link to post

It seems in general that the breast milking scene was considered unnecessary. I think the show has gone above and beyond in portraying exactly what life was like back then, including in this episode, "you're going to be a widow and and english woman in Scotland, you literally are nothing." If Claire actually made the choice to not go back to Frank (I think she tried the stones and they didn't work), then I think the show is incumbent on itself to show exactly what life she is staying for and has possibly chosen.

I actually think we do in fact need to see them pissing and shitting all over the place. Because there's no indoor plumbing. Claire actually getting spanked. Having a lot of sex, and teaching Jamie about it. You are seriously choosing this, Claire? That's what the show is about. One can assume they do all that offscreen, but it sanitizes and overly romanticizes what is actually a very harsh time. To not show things like this would be disingenuous on the show's part imo.

Edited May 13, 2015 by ganesh.

3

Share Post

Link to post

This is a reminder to please respect each other's opinions, especially when they radically differ from your own. No one is required to justify their reasons for liking or disliking any given scene. Some people are squeamish about any bodily function being shown, others may be more specific about their likes and dislikes. We will not tolerate any poster being attacked or disparaged for holding any opinion providing it isn't a malicious one - and even then, those should be reported not replied to.

Thank you.

3

Share Post

Link to post

I could have done without seens Jenny releasing her milk. I get why it was necessary for her to do, but I didn't feel the need to see it. However, I was wondering how they did that--CGI milk, a prosthetic? I did think it odd that she would just throw it away, rather than drinking it. She doesn't seem to be the type to waste things. But I guess I didn't want to see her drink it either.

I rather liked this scene. When she said she was about to explode, I thought she had to pee. It was so appropriate and realistic to see her having to do the "milk thing," reminding us again that she just gave birth a few days ago. I found it charming and so very like Jenny to be unconcerned and natural about it. I was upset that Maggie's food was going to waste. LOL I think Jenny drinking it would have been weird, though.

I kept waiting for Gellis to step out of the shadows of the cave and greet Claire alongside Dougal! We didn't watch her die and the fact that he refused to talk about her is leading.

See, I don't know and don't care about this. IMM, Gellis is dead. If somewhere down the line, it's revealed that she's not; fine. If that doesn't happy, I'm still okay with it. As it stands, I'm going with the flow and I'm happy with the way events are unfolding.

0

Share Post

Link to post

Did Claire do anything useful this episode? It was Jenny that did the tracking (days after giving birth!) and Murtagh that killed the courier (sparing our heroine from doing anything "evil", of course) and came up with the "song" plan. Also, does she know the words "Thank You"? It may not have worked, but she should have realised Murtagh was going to great lengths to help her out. And how did the gypsy manage to get the song down exactly? And when did Claire teach it to Jamie anyway?

On ‎10‎/‎05‎/‎2015 at 2:00 PM, terrymct said:

Once again in this episode, she does things that put people and/or the mission at risk and her only repercussion is a slight talking to.

Yes, it's "everyone do what I say, but I am in no way responsible!"

On ‎10‎/‎05‎/‎2015 at 3:22 PM, nara said:

I could have done without seeing Jenny releasing her milk. I get why it was necessary for her to do, but I didn't feel the need to see it.

But how else could we get the requisite BOOBS in the episode?

1

Share Post

Link to post

This episode was a bit slow, but I do like how this series finds a way to show different locations and aspects of life. But the prospect of another rescue is beyond tiresome, so I haven't been as motivated to watch even this episode. I'm not looking forward to more blood and more attempted rape. What chance was there for Claire and Jenny to rescue Jaime anyway? He was smart and escaped. Too bad he wasn't smart enough to stay underground a bit longer to get a message to Lallybroch.